FLOYD COUNTY — With the Lockney and Floydada basketball teams taking a much-needed break for the Christmas holiday, they are all providing hope of what is to come the rest of the 2021-22 season.
All four of the teams have won a tournament championship in December, led by the Whirlwinds (11-0) in winning titles at both Tahoka and Whirlwind Classic in Floydada. The Lady Horns (16-4) and Longhorns (8-5) claimed the Lockney Shootout championships, plus they both won a Consolation Championship at Tahoka. The Lady Winds (11-6) won the Whirlwind Classic and was the second place team at Tahoka, falling to Sterling City 46-43 in overtime in the Championship game.
Floydada Whirlwinds (11-0)
The Whirlwinds have made a living off of their guards by utilizing team quickness and speed. Floydada’s defense has caused a solid amount of turnovers each game and the Whirlwinds turn into points with their transition game.
Junior Abran Castillo leads the team with 22.6 ppg. Castillo has scored above 20 points in seven games with a season-high 40 in a contest. Freshman Braun Hobbs and junior Jasyson Cooper are both scoring in the double-figures with averages of 13.4 and 10.6 respectively. Freshman Ty Henderson (8.8) and sophomore Aiden Trevino (8.3) have provided good support production.
Team scoring average: 72-51
Key wins: Morton 65-61; Forsan 66-64; Slaton 71-65; Littlefield 63-58 OT
NEXT: Tuesday, Dec. 28, 3 p.m. — host Dimmitt (8-5) at Whirlwind Gym; 62nd Annual Caprock ABC Holiday Classic in Lubbock (Dec. 29-31, Thurs – Friday)
Coach: Anthony Carson, first year
Lockney Lady Horns (16-4)
The Lady Horns have been a team capable of having a couple of good quarters per game offensively and possess an aggravating defense to their opponents. The Lockney girls are currently riding an eight-game winning streak since falling in the first round of the Tahoka Tournament to the eventual tourney champion Sterling City (11-6) on December 4. The Lady Horns have done a great job of protecting its homecourt at Longhorn Gym with a 7-0 record.
The Lady Horns triplets of junior Adri Villarreal (15.3 ppg), senior Gabrielle Cervantes (12.6 ppg) and junior Mariah Ascensio (12 ppg) have given Lockney consistent scoring balance, plus have alternated throughout the season as game high scorers. Juniors Senayda Bernal and Adaliyah Jones have made key contributions on defense, rebounding and scoring approximately five points each per outing.
Team scoring average: 53-42
Keys wins: Springlake-Earth 55-47; Seagraves 51-42; Olton 46-41; Roosevelt 48-36; Tahoka 53-43;
Post 52-46
Close loss by 5 points or less: Spur 40-35
NEXT: Thursday (Dec. 30, noon) vs. Petersburg at Longhorn Gym; Friday (Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m.) at Anton
Coach: Trey Bale, first year
Floydada Lady Winds (11-6)
The Lady Winds have put together a pair of winning streaks at four and three games to show signs of coming out of their shell. In the two tournaments they have played at (Tahoka and Whirlwind Classic) they had a combined 7-1 record.
Senior guard Erin Trevino has been Floydada’s most consistent scorer with an 11.5 ppg average. Sophomore post Sierra Snowden is just under the double-figure average of 9.9 ppg. Snowden had 22 in one game for a team season individual high. The Lady Winds have received some good scoring support from the trio of sophomore point guard Zay Santos (8 ppg), junior guard Dani Zavala (7.8 ppg), and senior post Celese Wickware (7.7 ppg). Floydada’s inside game has received good rebounding from Snowden, Wickware and junior Lailah Burks.
Team scoring average: 49-38
Keys wins: Quanah 35-31; Tahoka 46-28; Trinity Christian 45-44; Kingdom Prep 45-41
Close losses by 5 points or less: Sundown 43-39; Roosevelt 37-33 OT; Sterling City 46-43 OT
NEXT: Tuesday (Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m.) vs. Dimmitt at Whirlwind Gym
Head Coach: Adam Zepeda, first year
Lockney Longhorns (8-5)
The Longhorns were getting on a roll with a six-game winning streak from December 3 – 11 before their leading scorers in seniors Josh Barretoro (18.5 ppg) and Austin Rodriguez (17 ppg) went down with ankle injuries in the same game in a costly win against Petersburg 49-42.
Junior guard Max Ramirez picked up the slack with a 22-point performance in a gritty win over Post 47-44 in the Championship game of the Lockney Shootout. Junior post Jonathan Cienfuegos has been a strong contributor by scoring 8 ppg and Jesus “Chuey” Gonzales has a 7.5-point average.
The Longhorns have been playing good hard-nosed defense. The return of Barretoro and Rodriguez to the lineup should provide a good surge for the Longhorns after the holidays. Barretoro has a season high of pouring in 31 points in one game and has gone above the 20 point barrier on three occasions. Rodriguez has also had three games of 20 point-plus production.
Team scoring average: 60-50
Key wins: Post 47-44; Seagraves 57-44; Petesburg 49-42
Close losses of 7 points and less: Muleshoe 65-62; Lubbock Kingdom Prep 58-51
NEXT: Monday-Wednesday (Dec. 27-29) at Littlefield Tournament. Five of the eight teams have
winning records. First round game will be against host Littlefield at 8 p.m., Monday.
Head Coach: Kelan Verette, first year
